Strike-spring for eight-day clocks



B. B. LEWIS.

STRIKE SPRING FOR EIGHT-DAY CLOCKS. No. 249,845. Patented N0v.22,18 81.,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN B. LEWIS, OF BRISTOL, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF TO THE WELCH SPRING& COMPANY, OF FORESTVILLE, CONNECTICUT.

STRIKE-SPRING FOR EIGHT-DAY CLOCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 249,845, dated November22, 1881.

Application filed July 31, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN B. Lnwrs, of Bristol, in the county ofHartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is designed principally for the strike side of aclock-movement, although some parts of it are applicable to either side5 and to the invention consists in the peculiar construction of a doublespring in combination with the strike side of a clock; also, in themanner of fastening the ends of the double spring together, the mannerof combining the r 5 double spring with the spring-barrel anddividing-disk, and the manner of constructing and securing theclick-spring to the plate, all as hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a part ofthe strike side of a clock-movement which embodies my invention, showinga portion of the frame, the main shaft, driving-wheel, and count-wheel.Fig. 2 is a section of the same on linear m of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line y y of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a partialedge view of the front plate of the movemen t-frame, together with aside elevation of the click-sprin gattached thereto. Figs. 5 and 6 areside elevations of the respective o sides of the connecting ends of thedouble spring, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view thereof on line2 z of Fig. 5.

A A designate a portion of the frame of the clock-movement; B, the mainshaft, 0 the main driving-wheel, and D the count-wheel. The time side ofthe clock may be of any style now in common use, and so also of thestrike side,

except in the particulars hereinafter speciallydescribed as peculiar tosaid striking side. The main shaft is journaled in the frame A andprovided with a ratchet-wheel, c, with which engages a pawl or click, b,actuated by a spring, 0, hereinafter described. The driving-wheelC andcount-wheel D are both rigidly secured to one and the same hub or hollowshaft (1, which is slipped loosely on the main shaft B, so as to turnfreely'thereon. I employ what is known as a double springthat is, twosprings coiled or wound in the reverse direction and placed edge toedge, with their outer ends fastened together by a connecting-bar. Suchsprings are old as applied to the time side of a clock for the purposeof' decreasing the strain on the parts of the clock without decreasingthe length of the running time, or, in other words, getting the runningtime of one strong spring with only the power of a light one; but, sofar as I know, such springs have never been used to increase the numberof revolutions of the main shaft, and thereby reduce the number ofwheels in the train. In fact such a result would be anything butdesirable in the time side of a clock.

E designates one half of the double spring, and F the other half, theinner end of the halt'F being connected to the main shaft, and the innerend of the half E to the hub or hollow shaft d, which extends throughthe inside coil of E, as shown in Fig. 2. The two outer ends of thesprings or halves of the double spring are connected by aconnecting-bar, c, of peculiar construction, hereinafter described.Between the edges of E and F there is a disk, G, slotted, as at f, Fig.3, to allow the bar 0 to move to and from the main shaft as the springis coiled and uncoiled in the act of winding and running down. Thisdouble spring is also boxed, as hereinafter described.

The click I) is on the frame of the clockmovement.

In winding the main shaft the half E of the double spring is firstwound, beginning at the inner end of its coil and winding until theouter end acts upon the outer end of F to wind it until both springs arewound. The springs then have a tendency to force the main wheel forwardwith a continuous motion, while the click on the frame makes itimpossible for the main shaft to return,so that it is never moved 0 butin the one direction. Inasmuch as one half of the double spring is woundthrough the medium of the other half, it follows that more turns orrevolutions of the main shaft must be made in winding than if only asingle 5 spring were employed, and consequently more turns of thedriving-wheel will be imparted by said double spring.

My double spring is specially adapted and designed for the strike sideof an eight day we clock, the count-wheel of which must be capable ofmaking at least sixteen revolutions. It is impracticable to get a singlespring into the space usually allotted for the spring of the strike partof an eight-day clock of such length as toimpart the sixteen turns tothe main shaft. Consequently eight-day clocks have had the count-wheelsput on a separate axis from the main driving-wheel and geared up to givethem the requisite number of turns. In other words, the main wheel of anordinary eight-day clock makes but eight revolutions, and in my improvedclock the main wheel of the strike side makes sixteen revolutions. Thisold main strike-wheel, making but eight revolutions, not onlynecessitated a larger movement-frame and longer train, but also a springof greater power than would have been required in case the count-wheelwere made to turn with the main wheel, because the farther it is fromthe main wheel the greater is the power required to drive it. By theemployment of the double spring in the strike side of an eight-day clockI am enabled to connect the count-wheel rigidly to the driving-wheel,and yet impart to it the necessary sixteen turns-two for each day.

I am aware that the count-wheel and main driving-wheel have been rigidlysecured together in thirtyhour clocks; but the countwheel in that caserequired to make only two and a fraction turns, so that the ordinaryspring was applicable for such use.

I form my main shaft- B with two shoulders, the distance between whichis equal to the width of the half F of the double spring, and thelocation of which is such as to bring them flush with the edge of F, asshown in Fig. 2. The disk Gr, between the halves of the double spring,rests against one shoulder and is governed in position thereby, whilethe length of the hub or hollow shaft (1 fills the space be tween saidshoulder and the front plate of the frame to govern the end chase of theshaft in one direction. The box or spring barrel II, having one solidend, is then slipped up against the other shoulder of the main shaft,and the other plate of the frame holds itin place. The disk G is of suchsize as to just till the inside diameter of the spring-barrel H, and theconstruction above described renders any other fastening unnecessary,the disk and spring-barrel being merely slipped loosely upon the mainshaft in their proper positions.

In all double springs heretofore made, so far as I know, the connectingends have been riveted to the connecting-bar, which is objectionable formany reasons, the most serious one, perhaps, being breakage of thesprings. Instead of securing the connecting-bar a by rivets, I form anelongated slot, 7a, in theend of the springs and pass the ends of theconnecting-bar e, which consists of a thin flat bar, through said slotsand clinch them down without riveting, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7,

which makes a very compact and cheap connection, and as the metal is notupset or enlarged in the holes in the end of the spring, there is butlittle liability of breakage.

My click-spring c, I also construct and secure in a novel manner, asfollows: Itis made of sheet metal, with a fiat wing or tenon, m, nearone end extending beyond the edge of the body of the spring. A shallownotch is left in one side edge of the frame A, into which this wing isplaced, and the metal at each end of the notch is battered over a littleto secure the spring in place.

I am aware that a double spring having one end of one half connected tothe main shaft, upon which shaft was placed a hollow shaft or hub, withthe main wheel attached and connected to the inner end of the other halfof the spring, and with a ratchet-wheel the click of which was mountedon the frame, is old, and I hereby disclaim the same.

I am also aware that a double spring with dividingdisk andinclosing-barrel on the main shaft of the clock is old, and I herebydisclaim the same.

I claim as my invention 1. The double spring composed of two connectedhalves coiled in opposite directions, in combination with the strikingmechanism of a clock-movement, substantially as described, and for thepurpose specified.

2. The double spring composed of two connected halves coiled in oppositedirections, in combination with the main driving-wheel and count wheelof an eight-day clock, both wheels mounted on the same axis andspecially adapted for making at least sixteen revolutions, substantiallyas described, and for the purpose specified.

3. The main shaft, shouldered as described, in combination with thedouble spring, springbarrel having a solid bottom or end, dividingdisk,hollow shaft or hub, main driving-wheel, and movement-plates, the solidend of the spring-barrel being interposed between one shoulder of themain shaft and the movementplate, substantially as described, and forthe purpose specified.

4. In a double spring for clocks, the peculiar fastening for the ends,consisting of the connecting-bar passed through elongated eyes andclinched down without riveting, substantially as described, and for thepurpose speci- 5. In a clock-movement, the click-spring 0, having wingm, in combination with the sheetmetal frame having a shallow notch inits edge, which receives the wing, substantially as described, and forthe purpose specified.

BENJAMIN B. LE WIS.

Witnesses:

J. H. WELcI-I, W. It. Hear).

